It was a windy event, but an exciting event May 10 on the Cranston High School West athletic field as 250 juniors and seniors were inducted into the National Honor Society, with many of those students also receiving individual awards as well.

Principal Tom Barbieri welcomed all to the event and recognized honored guests in attendance, including Superintendent Jeannine Nota-Masse, Mayor Ken Hopkins and School Committee Chair Daniel Wall. Cranston West faculty member Evan Lancia served as the keynote speaker and faculty member Paul Perentin serves as the NHS advisor. Also present were Cranston West department heads and Executive Director of Secondary Programs, Zachary Farrell.

Barbieri congratulated students on their accomplishments and noted the historic nature of the event. Due to the pandemic, last year’s juniors who are this year’s seniors were unable to have an induction ceremony. Therefore, both classes of students were inducted at once -- for the first time in school history.

Although the National Honor Society induction is based partly on a student’s GPA, it is also dependent on the inductees’ commitment to character, leadership and service to others, and each of the guest speakers emphasized the importance of recognizing that fact. Hopkins emphasized the importance of not just academic strength, but of strength of character. Nota-Masse told students to give themselves a pat on the back for their ability to balance all they do throughout the year -- including academics, extracurricular activities, community service and their focus on their faith and their families. She noted the extraordinary circumstances the classes have endured throughout their high school careers which have made things exponentially more difficult. She asked them not to dwell on those things, but rather on their many accomplishments despite those challenges. Wall noted that he was inspired by the students’ accomplishments and the strength of their achievements.

The 250 students were led in the induction ceremony and given their certificates. Departmental awards and academic awards were given out as well, prior to Lancia’s keynote speech.

National Honor Society officers are: co-presidents Angela Marses and Ayia Tatari, social media vice presidents Maddie Barbieri and Sophia Smith, community service vice presidents Nick Perrotta and Maya Fraenza, and fundraising Sanjana Ananthula and Jonny Soscia.

Award recipients were: Harvard Book Award, Mena Wadia; URI Book Award, Julia Shellard; Excellence in English Award, Angela Marses and Mikaya Parente; Theater Performance Award, Maxwell Kattawar; Theater Production Award, Ani Poghosyan; Creative Writing Award, Rachel Paulhus; Jae S. Lim Scholarship Award in Mathematics, Mena Wadia; Rensselaer Medal, Hope Kelley; Mathematical Excellence in AP Calculus Award, Mikaya Parente; Mathematical Excellence in AP Statistics Award, Emily Sullivan; Heart of a Mathematician Award, Maya Fraenza; American Mathematical Society Award for Outstanding Achievement in Mathematics, Nicholas Perrotta; Jae S. Lim Foundation Grant, Julia Shellard; Bausch and Lomb Honorary Science Award, Mena Wadia; Excellence in Science Award, Sanjana Ananthula and Mikaya Parente; Excellence in AP US History Award, Olivia Clark and Justin Weinstein; Excellence in Social Studies Award, Daniel Meyerson and Julia Varkonyi; Junior Excellence in Band Music, Aidan Royal; Junior Excellence in Orchestra, Erica Wu; Senior Excellence in Band Music, Megan Marie Card, Ronald Davidson, Christopher Trek; Senior Excellence in Orchestra, Christopher Trek; Colin Hawes Musician of the Year, Christopher Trek; Choir Musical Excellence Awards Marina Mancini,Haley Bobek, Sophia Rivard, Enrique Burgos, Lia Scorpio, Lauren Scavitto, Isabel Mignano.